CABINET FOR INTERCHANGEABLE CIRCUIT BOARDS

• US 3,764,857 A
• Filed: 05/31/1972
• Issued: 10/09/1973
• Est. Priority Date: 05/31/1972
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Microfast Controls Corporation
• Original Assignee: Donald E. Henry, Kenton L. Riceman, Peter G. Bartlett
• Inventors: Bartlett, Peter G., Henry, Donald E., Riceman, Kenton L.
• Primary Examiner(s): Truhe, J. V.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Tolin, Gerald P.
• Application Number:
  US05/258,284
• Time in Patent Office: 496 Days
• Field of Search: 317/11C,11CB,11CC,11D,11DH,118 339/17D,17LC,17LM,17M 340/225,324R
• US Class Current: 361/679.31
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 7/1409 by lever-type mechanisms

Abstract

The disclosure relates to a cabinet with replaceable and removable circuit boards. The cabinet is provided with a plurality of circuit boards, each of the circuits being provided with indicating means for identifying the input for and output from the circuit. Means are provided on the interior of the cabinet for aligning the circuit boards as they are inserted into the cabinet and locking them in place to insure correct alignment and contact between the circuit board and its electrical bus connector.

Claims

1. A cabinet for electronic circuitry comprising:

a. a pluraliTy of guide means mounted within said cabinet;

b. a plurality of removable and replaceable circuit boards mounted in said guide means, each of said boards being slidably engaged therein, said boards also defining plural contact means for receiving at least one removable electrical connector;

c. a plurality of plural contact connectors arranged within said cabinet and removably mounted on said board, each of said connectors mating with a plural contact means on one of said boards;

d. removable closure means for said cabinet, said closure means having a registration means affixed thereto to cooperate with the guide means fixably aligning said board within said cabinet, said registration means abutting said connector and preventing any movement of said board and connector.

2. A cabinet as claimed in claim 1 wherein each of the circuit boards defines a plurality of indicating means arranged across the frontal edge of said board, said closure means also defining an opening for each of the indicating means mounted on said circuit board.

3. A cabinet as claimed in claim 2 wherein said cabinet openings are provided with an identification number, each of said indicating means being identified separately.

4. A cabinet as claimed in claim 3 wherein said closure means defines a front opening panel, said panel being hinged to the bottom of said cabinet and defining a plurality of openings for said indicating means within said front panel.

5. A cabinet as claimed in claim 4 wherein said cabinet means further comprise longitudinal tracks arranged with their longitudinal axis perpendicular to said front panel, said registration means including a horizontal means for engaging the panel edge of said removable circuit boards to thereby prevent any vertical movement or longitudinal movement along said perpendicular track.

6. A cabinet as claimed in claim 1 wherein said cabinet defines a hinged front panel and at least one track mounted within said cabinet with its axis perpendicular to the front panel, said tracks providing means receiving said circuit boards and preventing any horizontal movement thereof, said registration means being mounted on said front panel engaging said circuit boards and preventing any vertical or longitudinal movement thereof.

7. A cabinet as claimed in claim 6 wherein said registration means define a horizontal bar which engages a notch defined in the frontal edge of said removable connector.

8. A cabinet as claimed in claim 1 wherein each of the circuit boards further define a plurality of light-emitting diodes arranged vertically on the frontal edge of said circuit board.

9. A cabinet as claimed in claim 8 wherein said cabinet is equipped with a front panel, said panel defining a plurality of openings to display said diode means, each of said openings having means for identifying each of said diodes.

10. In a process control computer having an input register means, an output register means, a memory means and a computing means, the combination which comprises:

a. a cabinet having a plurality of guide means mounted therein;

b. a plurality of removable and replaceable register circuit boards mounted within said guide means and slidably engaged therein, said register boards having an input bus connection, a plural contact output bus connection for receiving a removable electrical connector, and a plurality of indicating means arranged across the frontal edge of said board, c. memory means also mounted on removable and replaceable circuit boards, said memory boards also slidably mounted within said guide means;

d. a plurality of plural contact bus connectors arranged within said cabinet and removably mounted on said register boards, said connectors mating with the plural contact means on said register boards, and e. removable closure means for said cabinet, said closure means having a registration means affixed thereto to cooperate with the guide means fixably aligning said boards within said cabinet, said regiStration means abutting said connector and preventing any movement of said board and connector.

11. A process control computer as claimed in claim 10 which further comprises at least one bus connector for connecting said register card to said computing means.

12. A process control computer as claimed in claim 10 wherein said cabinet has a front panel, said panel defining registration means which engage said register card and said bus connector to fixably align said card and said connector within said cabinet.

13. A process control computer as claimed in claim 10 wherein said cabinet means define an opening for each of the indicating means mounted on said register card.

14. A process control computer as claimed in claim 12 wherein said cabinet means has a front opening panel, said panel being hinged at the bottom of said cabinet and defining a plurality of openings for said indicating means within said front panel, each of said openings provided with an identification code whereby each of said indicating means are identified separately.

15. A process control computer as claimed in claim 12 wherein said cabinet means further comprise longitudinal tracks arranged with their longitudinal axis perpendicular to said front panel, said registration means including a horizontal means engaging the panel edge of said removable register boards and thereby prevent any vertical movement or longitudinal movement along said perpendicular track.